Behavioral Health Technician (35392)

Odyssey Behavioral Group; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 23,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Lifeskills Orlando is seeking an entry-level Behavioral Health Technician to join our 1st shift in Orlando, FL. The role focuses on supporting adults with complex mental health needs through structured activities and a therapeutic milieu.

The position requires a high school diploma and valid driver’s license with CPR certification. You will work closely with nurses, clinicians, and residents to implement treatment plans and ensure safety and quality patient care.

Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• 2+ years of experience in a psychiatric hospital setting working with adults.
• Valid State Driver’s License and CPR certification.

Responsibilities

• Assist residents with daily living activities (ADLs) and ensure hygiene, room cleanliness, and proper meal routines.
• Engage residents in group and individual activities to support treatment goals.
• Document services and incidents accurately in resident records per policy.
• Maintain a therapeutic environment and follow safety procedures, including crisis de-escalation when needed.
• Transport residents to appointments and coordinate with nursing and clinical staff.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Documentation

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

CPR certification

Job description

Job Details: Level: Entry, Job Location: Orlando, FL 32803, Position Type: Full Time, Education Level: High School, Salary Range: $17.00 - $19.00, Job Shift: 1st Shift, Job Category: Health Care,

We are currently seeking a Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) to join our team on 1st shift!

About us

At Lifeskills Orlando, we provide personalized and high-quality care for adults (18 years and older) with complex mental health disorders. Our comprehensive whole-person approach, unique setting, and high staff-to-client ratio support individualized attention and real-time interventions, ensuring the best possible outcomes for each client.

We use evidence-based treatment methods tailored to each client’s needs. Our team utilizes our social integration approach, which enables clients to receive real-time therapeutic interventions while experiencing real-life situations. Social integration is used to ensure social and life skills treatment concepts are not only learned but also become accessible tools for clients transitioning back to independent living.

Who We Are

At Lifeskills Orlando, we offer an intimate and personalized environment with a lower staff-to-client ratio, ensuring individualized attention and real-time interventions. Located in downtown Orlando, our unique setting facilitates the implementation of our social integration model in high-stimulus environments, supported by our dedicated staff.

At Lifeskills, we don’t just focus on the presenting condition, but rather on the underlying disorders by utilizing a comprehensive whole-person approach that serves at the foundation for true client-centered care. We treat adults of all genders, ages 18 and older.

Why You Will Love Working With Us!

At Lifeskills South Florida, we are a dynamic, dedicated, and growing team of professionals deeply passionate about providing evidence-based and personalized clinical care for mental health disorders and behavioral health conditions.

Since everyone has different experiences with mental health disorders, mental health therapies must be equally as unique to address those diverse needs. Working with qualified doctoral level clinicians at Lifeskills gives individuals the opportunity to develop personalized mental health treatment plans that address their needs and help them take the next step in their recovery.

Our team’s foundation is client centered care and clinical excellence through our 5-star service commitment – Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Flexibility, Service, and Collaboration. We are committed to our team and our team is committed to our clients!

What we offer

• Collaborative environment dedicated to clinical excellence

How You Will Contribute

The Psychiatric Technician interacts with residents throughout the shift and assists and supports residents will functional needs. The Psychiatric Technician is responsible for managing the daily milieu of the facility, ensuring the safety of residents, and maintaining a therapeutic environment. The Psychiatric Technician is expected to familiarize him/herself with the histories and needs of the residents and be capable of identifying cues and behaviors that may indicate a change in resident’s status or condition. The Psychiatric Tech shall document in the resident record, communicate with nurses, psychotherapists and physicians, and be available to serve the resident’s families or guardians with their needs.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Selects appropriate interventions to meet the clinical needs of individual residents.
• Actively participates and engages residents in the milieu and outside activities throughout the work day, often in a variety of group settings.
• Prompts residents to complete ADLs, including clean room, hygiene, laundry, etc., and completes regular room hygiene checks.
• Prompts residents to attend all meals in a timely manner and provides supervision and structure at meal times as appropriate.
• Models effective table manners and small talk during meal times, focusing on engaging all residents.
• Provides, structures, and maintains a therapeutic environment in collaboration with other staff.
• Therapeutically interacts with the resident in one-to-one situations, community, and group meetings, maintaining appropriate boundaries and modeling appropriate social behavior. Reacts therapeutically in crisis situations.
• Recognizes resident’s level of psychosocial and psychosexual development and modifies approaches accordingly to include recognizing mood changes and developing coping skills.
• Maintains therapeutic relationship with residents using praise and other reinforcers to encourage appropriate behaviors and attitudes, setting limits in a kind and firm manner.
• Documents in accordance with policies and procedures services provided, incident reports, shift reports, or department reports in a timely and accurate manner.
• Writes clearly, informatively, and effectively.
• Complies with the facility safety procedures as outlined in the policy and procedure manual. Assumes assigned role in fire drills, evacuation procedures, and internal/external disaster plan.
• Demonstrates effective verbal intervention skills in managing escalating residents and involving other staff as needed. Adheres to CPI criteria.
• Performs a vehicle safety and fuel check prior to use of any company vehicle, reporting any concerns to supervisor or manager.
• Supports residents in effectively managing leisure time, including joining in activities with residents.
• Greet all guests warmly and friendly.
• Follows through with clinical precautions effectively, including Q15s and visuals.
• Answer phone and field calls in an upbeat and positive manner, focusing on customer service.
• Transport residents to appointments, supporting resident while regulating in community.
• Identifies and recognizes triggers for escalation with each resident, and utilize de-escalation techniques, focusing on prevention of crisis.
• Gathers residents for outings and groups to promote program engagement.
• Supports medication compliance and management by prompting residents to go to nursing for medications

Additional:

• Can be relied upon to be at work as scheduled and is rarely absent from work, notifying the supervisor if absent.
• Demonstrates an ability to adapt to changes in the facility function, management styles, and facility routines.
• Reads, understands, and adheres to all company policy statements on ethics, conduct, and conflict of interests.
• Adheres to facility policies, procedures, rules and regulations, implementing regularly.
• Maintains positive attitude and acts as a team player with others on the treatment team.
• Attends all supervisory trainings within assigned time frames as required by the facility.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: What We Are Seeking

Education and Experience

• High school graduate or equivalent combination of education and/or work experience.
• 2 years or more of experience in a psychiatric hospital setting as a mental health or behavioral assistant working with adults.
• Requires valid State Driver’s License and current CPR certification.

Physical Requirements

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to communicate with peers/general public, clients and/or vendors
• Tolerant to various noise levels: noise level in the work environment varies – may be very quiet to moderate
• Job performance will require the ability to move throughout the building as well as sit or remain stationary for extended periods of time
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to talk or hear, sit, stand, walk, reach, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, taste or smell.
• Ability to move up to 15 pounds

Skill Competencies

• Excellent verbal and written skills
• Demonstrates a high level of follow through
• Documentation

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Lifeskills Behavioral Health provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment. Lifeskills Behavioral Health reserves the rights to modify, interpret, or apply this job description in any way the organization desires. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities. This job description is not an employment contract, implied or otherwise. The employment relationship remains “At-Will.”